Jet stream cirrus from space

A westerly jet stream produces a narrow, contained band of cirrus cloud that stretches across the Red Sea from the Sudan to Saudi Arabia. This photograph has been taken from about 320 kilometers (200 miles) above the Earth.

The contained uniformity of the cloud formation reflects the narrow track of the jet stream moving from left to right across the frame. The shuttle photo shows that the cloud band comprises a series of distinct and precisely spaced roll clouds. These are created by a rolling motion in the upper level air current. Source: LPI/NASA. Cross Reference: 13-32-1099.